Former Florida Gator walk-on passes away

A member of Florida's 2008 title team has died, both the Miami Herald and Orlando Sentinel are reporting.

According to the Sentinel, Lamar Abel was part of a road crew organized by his fraternity that was doing roadside cleanup Saturday. During the course of the day, Abel began to feel sick and was taken the UF Medical center where he died.

While the cause of death is not known, a post on Abel's Facebook suggested that some type of cardiac event took the defensive lineman's life.

"Lamar was a proud member of our program & our thoughts & prayers go out to his family & friends during this difficult time," Gator offensive coordinator Steve Addazio was quoted as saying on Ben Volin's Palm Beach Post Twitter page.

"It threw me for a loop,'' Anthony Campbell, a teacher at Blanche Ely High School, told the Herald. "He was so young, vibrant. I just saw him in March up in Gainesville. It's something tough to deal with. It has people questioning and thinking about a lot of things."

The 21-year-old Abel dressed for five games in both 2007 and 2008, and played in one game.

Phil Steele Names Five Georgia Bulldogs to Preseason All-Americans

ATHENS, Ga. --- Five Georgia football players have been named to Phil Steele’s 2010 preseason All-American teams while 14 have been named to the publication’s All-Southeastern Conference preseason squads. Junior flanker A.J. Green (Summerville, S.C.) and junior punter Drew Butler (Duluth, Ga.) highlighted the list after being named First Team All-Americans. Junior placekicker Blair Walsh (Boca Raton, Fla.) was named to the Second Team, senior offensive tackle Clint Boling (Alpharetta, Ga.) was included on the Third Team and junior kickoff returner Brandon Boykin (Fayetteville, Ga.) was placed on the Fourth Team. The Bulldogs also had six players named to the All-SEC First Team. In addition to Green, Boling, Boykin, Walsh and Butler, junior outside linebacker Justin Houston (Statesboro, Ga.) was also named to the First Team. Junior linemen Ben Jones (center) (Centreville, Ala.) and Cordy Glenn (offensive guard) (Riverdale, Ga.) joined sophomore tailback Washaun Ealey (Stillmore, Ga.) on the Second Team. Sophomore tight end Orson Charles (Tampa, Fla.), senior offensive guard Chris Davis (Jefferson, Ga.), junior inside linebacker Marcus Dowtin (Upper Marlboro, Md.) and Boykin, this time as a cornerback, were named to the Third Team. Redshirt sophomore free safety Bacarri Rambo (Donalsonville, Ga.) was Georgia’s sole honoree on the Fourth Team. Georgia is one of five teams with at least two players named preseason First Team All-Americans. Georgia and Alabama each have two players on the First Team and are the only two SEC teams with multiple players. North Carolina and UCLA leads the way with three players each on the First Team. The Bulldogs and the Tide also lead the conference with six players on the All-SEC First Team. Georgia and Florida top the league with 14 players listed on all four preseason teams combined.

Mike Pouncey Named to 2010 Rimington Watch List

University of Florida senior football player Mike Pouncey (Lakeland, Fla.) was named to the 2010 Spring Watch List for The Rimington Trophy, announced by the committee. The trophy, named after Nebraska's two-time consensus All-America center Dave Rimington, is presented annually to college football’s most outstanding offensive center.
Pouncey will have a chance to keep the award in the family. His twin brother, Maurkice Pouncey, won the 2009 Rimington Trophy. Mike Pouncey has made 28-straight starts on the offensive line, primarily at guard, and will make the transition to center for the 2010 season. He was named AP Second-Team All-American and First-Team All-SEC in 2009 after helping Florida lead the SEC with 3,105 rushing yards on the season. He also earned SEC Offensive Lineman of the Week honors following the Florida State game, in which the Gators accumulated 545 yards of total offense.

SEC's Two Million Dollar Man...Slive

SEC's, Mike Slive has drawn praise from all corners for helping to turn his conference into a national powerhouse when it comes to football and the revenues derived from the sport.
So, as should be expected, Slive was paid very handsomely for his efforts.
According to the Jackson Clarion-Ledger, and based on IRS documents obtained by the paper, Slive earned $2.1 million for the fiscal year that ended Aug. 31, 2009.
Included in that total was a $1 million bonus and a base salary of just over $972,000. Kentucky president Lee Todd told the paper that the conference voted unanimously to give Slive the bonus, and that the TV contract was "probably the predominant driver" in the seven-figure payout.
A TV consultant, Chuck Gerber, who also played a part in brokering the 15-year, $3 billion deal with CBS and ESPN was paid $2 million by the league.
The paper also noted that in 2008-2009, SEC schools received shares of revenue that ranged from $12.6 million to just a shade over $14 million.

Six Tide players, three Tigers make first team on Phil Steele's preseason All-SEC

Six Alabama players and three Auburn standouts headlined Phil Steele's preseason All-SEC team, released Thursday. The teams will be included in the upcoming Phil Steele's 2010 College Football Preview magazine.
Making the first team for the Tide were reigning Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram, receiver Julio Jones, offensive guard Barrett Jones, defensive end Marcell Dareus, linebacker Dont'a Hightower and safety Mark Barron. First-teamers from Auburn were receiver Darvin Adams, offensive tackle Lee Ziemba and linebacker Craig Stevens.
Ingram and Jones were also selected as first-team preseason All-Americans by the publication, joining fellow SEC stars A.J. Green and Drew Butler of Georgia and Patrick Peterson of LSU. Barron and Hightower were second-team All-American picks, Dareus was a third-teamer and Ziemba was a fourth-team selection.
Six other Alabama players and eight other Tigers were listed on the publication's second, third and fourth All-SEC teams. Selected as second-teamers were Alabama's Greg McElroy, James Carpenter and Josh Chapman and Auburn's Mario Fannin, Josh Bynes and Neiko Thorpe.
Thrid-team choices were Auburn's Ryan Pugh and Mike Blanc, while listed on the fourth team were Tigers Cameron Newton, Mike Berry and Wes Byrum and Alabama's Trent Richardson, William Vlachos and Courtney Upshaw.
Interestingly, Newton was not the only newcomer on the list. True freshman running back Marcus Lattimore of South Carolina was a third-team selection, chosen ahead of Richardson and Vanderbilt's record-breaking all-purpose star, Warren Norman.
You can see Phil Steele's entire preseason All-SEC and All-American teams here. posted by Mike Herdon

Fifteen Gators Recognized on Phil Steele's 2010 Preseason All-America and All-SEC Lists

A number of Gator football players were recognized Thursday as preseason All-SEC and All-America candidates, released by Phil Steele’s 2010 College Football Preview. Seniors Mike Pouncey (Lakeland, Fla.) and Carl Johnson (Durham, N.C.), as well as junior Will Hill (West Orange, N.J.) highlighted the preseason All-SEC teams as first team selections, Pouncey at center, Johnson at offensive guard and Hill at safety. In addition to the first team trio, 12 other Gators garnered All-SEC status by Steele, including five second team defensive selections and five third team offensive picks.
In addition to its preseason All-SEC selections, four Florida football players were additionally on Phil Steele preseason All-America lists, including Pouncey and Johnson, who were tabbed as third team All-America players. Junior cornerback Janoris Jenkins (Pahokee, Fla.) and Gator punter Chas Henry (Dallas, Ga.) were both projected fourth team All-America selections.

Both Pouncey and Henry, rising senior leaders, have been mainstays on the 2010 college football preseason All-America lists after appearing on the Lindy’s Football Preview preseason All-America list and as NationalChamps.net preseason All-America picks.

Pouncey was tabbed an Outland Trophy Watch List candidate in 2009 and finished the season with AP Second Team All-America honors. The offensive lineman has started 28 straight games for the Orange and Blue, 31 total, and has seen action in 39 games as a Gator.

Seven Rebels Earn Preseason Honors From Phil Steele

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Jerrell Powe received preseason All-America honors and was among seven Ole Miss Rebels to earn All-SEC billing, as Phil Steele has announced his preseason awards.
Powe, a senior defensive tackle, made Steeles’ All-America third team and his All-SEC first team. Seniors Kentrell Lockett, DE, and Jonathan Cornell, LB, were honored on the all-conference second team.
Senior S Johnny Brown garnered All-SEC third team status, and the fourth team featured Rebel OT Bradley Sowell, LB Allen Walker and KR Jesse Grandy.Phil Steele's College Football Preview is one of the nation's top preseason football magazines and has always provided a preseason All-American team as well as preseason all-conference teams.

Gamecocks Dot Phil Steele's Preseason All-SEC Team

The University of South Carolina is well-represented on Phil Steele's 2010 Preseason All-SEC football team, announced today. The Gamecocks had nine players earn spots on Steele's four teams, including a pair of first-team selections.
Senior defensive end Cliff Matthews and sophomore cornerback Stephon Gilmore earned preseason first-team recognition by the national publication. Matthews, a 6-4, 260-pounder from Cheraw, S.C. was a postseason second-team all-league selection a year ago. He has started more games (33) than any other returning Gamecock. Gilmore, a 6-1, 188-pounder from Rock Hill, S.C. who was a Freshman All-American last season, was also named to Steele's fourth-team All-America squad. In addition, Gilmore was the lone Gamecock on Steele's second-team All-SEC, as he was tabbed as the No. 2 punt returner in the league.
Four Gamecocks earned third team All-SEC recognition, according to Steele. A pair of seniors - defensive tackle Ladi Ajiboye and cornerback Chris Culliver - are mentioned on the defensive side of the ball, while sophomore wide receiver Alshon Jeffery and incoming freshman tailback Marcus Lattimore garnered mention on the third-team offense.
Three Gamecocks earned fourth-team accolades, one in each facet of the game. Senior tight end Weslye Saunders represents the offense, junior linebacker Shaq Wilson is listed on defense and senior punter Spencer Lanning, who represents special teams, all were tabbed by Steele in his preseason picks.

Alabama Running Back...Ingram to be honored by hometown of Flint

Alabama running back Mark Ingram will be feted by his hometown Saturday.
A rally will be held in Flint, Mich., this afternoon to honor their native son and will feature bands, and cheerleaders from local high schools. The Associated Press reports that some Alabama coaches are expected to be in attendance for the celebration.
Flint Mayor Dayne Walling called Ingram a "role model on and off the field".
It was reported back in April that a stretch of highway running through Flint could possibly be named after the junior All-American, but it's unclear if that will be a part of this particular ceremony.

Razorback's Mallett on not leaving early: 'I didn't feel it was fair to people'

When, Ryan Mallett announced that he was returning for another season, the whole of Razorback nation breathed a huge sigh of relief. As did the coaching staff and pretty much anyone associated with the football program.
According to Mallett, though, there never really was any doubt as to which path his immediate football future would take.
"No, I really wasn't[thinking about leaving early," Mallett said in a FOX Sports Radio interview as relayed by the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. "I told my mom I was going to graduate before I left, so I promised her that. That was one main reason I came back but also knowing who we had coming back and how great the team has a chance to be.
"Another reason was I felt like just playing one year and leaving the team, it wasn't fair to the team, to the fans and to the state. We've got the greatest fans in the NCAA I feel like. To just play one year and leave, I didn't feel like it was fair to a lot of people."

SEC meets with CBS regarding expansion

A broadcast from MrSEC.com, Jimmy Hyams of WNML-AM 990 reports that, per a source close to CBS, commissioner Mike Slive has met with network officials regarding the SEC's potential plans for expansion. Reportedly, Slive told the executives that their goal is to match the Big Ten team for team if they move to 16.
In such a case, Hyams reports, Texas, Texas A&M, Florida State and Clemson would be their targets. If the first two could not be had, the two Texas schools would be replaced by Georgia Tech and Miami.
The SEC has denied that such a meeting took place.
"There was never any meeting nor have their been any discussions between CBS and SEC Commissioner Mike Slive about expansion," the conference stated in an email response to the radio report.
Whether or not the report is true is debatable , very debatable given the conference's response, but there should be little doubt that Slive & Company are not just sitting on their hands awaiting the Big Ten's move.

Vols Dooley says no recent talks with Bryce Brown

Derek Dooley offered no news Thursday concerning two Tennessee football players who are expected to transfer.
The UT first-year coach said at the Big Orange Caravan that there have been no recent conversations with tailback Bryce Brown or quarterback Nick Lamaison.
Brown did not participate in spring practice. Dooley said he is neither optimistic nor has closed the door on an unlikely return by the sophomore-to-be.
Lamaison, who did not play in 2009 after one season at a junior college in California, could also transfer after not being at all involved in the quarterback competition during spring practice.
Lamaison, a sophomore, has not returned multiple text and phone messages from the News Sentinel.
Dooley also said he is unaware of any academic casualties from the spring semester, which ended this month.

Auburn gives the heave-ho to Aycock

According to multiple reports, Aycock has been dismissed by head coach Gene Chizik forviolating an unspecified team rule.
Aycock, a four-star member of the Tigers' 2009 recruiting class, was a redshirt last season but, as noted by the Birmingham News, was slated to be a part of Auburn's rotation at the running back position.
With the unexpected departure, Michael Dyer, the No. 2 running back in the country in the 2010 class according to Rivals.com, would seem to be in line for in even bigger role during his freshman season as one of the top options behind starter Mario Fannin.

Auburn confirms, QB Tyrik Rollison is leaving program,

Months after Tyrik Rollison told his Facebook followers that his time at Auburn was done, the university confirmed his transfer Wednesday.
Rollison has said he plans to transfer to Sam Houston State, a Championship Subdivision program where he will be eligible to play immediately.
Rollison did not participate in spring practice, was not listed on the team's roster and talked openly of leaving, but head coach Gene Chizik refused to completely close the door on his return.
Here's what I wrote about Rollison way back in February:
AUBURN -- Redshirt freshman quarterback Tyrik Rollison, a prized recruit who many envisioned as a future star, is apparently leaving Auburn for a lower-division school.
Rollison stunned fans by announcing his departure on his Facebook page Wednesday morning; his father subsequently confirmed to ESPN.com that his son planned to transfer from Auburn to Sam Houston State, closer to his home in Sulphur Springs, Texas.
Auburn officials did not immediately confirm his departure from the football team.
While Rollison's decision isn't entirely shocking -- he was coming off a suspension and faced an uphill battle to win a starting job in 2010 -- the timing of his announcement was unusual.
Auburn begins spring practice March 24, and Rollison was one of five quarterbacks vying for a starting job. Junior college transfer Cameron Newton is the front-runner for the job, although senior Neil Caudle, sophomore Barrett Trotter and redshirt freshman Clint Moseley are also in the mix.
Newton's arrival, coupled with Rollison's suspension for the Jan. 1 Outback Bowl for an undisclosed violation of team rules, led to speculation that Rollison might opt to transfer elsewhere.

Vols' Dooley: No 'doom and gloom here'

COLUMBIA, S.C. - Duane Sharpe didn't get very far into his question.
"Since the offense is already going to be struggling," the Columbia resident began only to have a smiling Derek Dooley cut in.
"I didn't say that," the first-year Tennessee coach said with a chuckle and tone of mock protest while emphasizing the word that. "I don't want to be spreading doom and gloom here."
Dooley's reaction drew a laugh from the approximately 180 alumni and fans on hand at Seawell's Caterers, the site of the latest stop of the Big Orange Caravan on Tuesday night. But the exchange set the tone for evening's question-and-answer session: a light-hearted thrust-and-parry session in which Dooley delivered straight talk laced with plenty of humor.
Questions ranged from his offense, scheduling and recruiting philosophies to the in-the-news issues of former player access to practices and the length of time it took to hire a defensive coordinator.
"I like the man," Sharpe said after the event. "He's very straightforward, honest. He doesn't beat around the bush. He knows we have some weaknesses, and he's working to fix them."
The questions are hardly new to Dooley, who is about three weeks into his first caravan as coach of Tennessee.
"Because I haven't been out and we've had so much to do in the last four months there is some curiosity about 'who is this guy,' " Dooley said before the event. "But I think most of the fans just want to feel like the program is in good shape. There has been a little bit of 'we've been knocked on our heels' mentality."
"I hope they come away from this with the sense that we're going to be OK - that we've hit a little bump along the road in the great history of a program that has really defined winning and stability probably better than any other SEC program, but that we're in good shape. "

Coach Nick Saban doesn't expect relief from lineup of open-date opponents

Nick Saban is a powerful man in Alabama and the SEC, but he sounded resigned to his fate Tuesday concerning a 2010 schedule filled with opponents who will meet the Tide coming off open dates.
"I don't see any changes right now that are going to affect it in any way," Saban said during a stop in Mobile with UA's Crimson Caravan. "It is what it is."
Six of Alabama's SEC opponents will have two weeks to prepare for the Tide in 2010, although Alabama also has an open date before one of those games, LSU. Saban said it's uncertain what effect such a schedule will have on his team's attempt to repeat as SEC and national champions.
"Nobody knows for sure if a bye week helps your team or not," he said. "Sometimes when you're playing well, you'd rather not have a bye week. Sometimes when your team's a little tired and beat up, a bye week's advantageous.
"We would definitely like to have a full week to prepare against every team that we play. Right now we have one team that we play on a short week, Auburn, and we'd like to get our schedule fixed around so that's not an issue for us."
Tuesday night's invitation-only dinner at the Battle House Hotel was the last of nine stops around the South for the Crimson Caravan, which also included events in Dallas, Atlanta, New Orleans and Nashville.
Saban also appeared in Daphne on Tuesday to accept the Amos Alonzo Stagg Award from the United States Sports Academy, recognizing him as the coach of the year.

Saban confirms QB Jackson leaving 'Bama

Head coach Nick Saban, by way of Gentry Estes of the Mobile Press-Register, has confirmed that Star Jackson has decided to transfer from the university.
The coach also seemingly confirmed that the fact Jackson was buried behind two players, starter Greg McElroy and backup A.J. McCarron, on the depth chart led to the QB requesting a release from his scholarship.
"Star Jackson has done a fantastic job in our program, made a tremendous amount of improvement," Saban said at a Crimson Caravan stop in Mobile. "We hate to see any player leave the program, but quarterback's kind of a unique position where one guy can play, and we have a lot of competition there right now. Greg's the starter coming back, AJ has done a fantastic job of improving, Phillip Sims came in at mid-semester and showed a lot of promise this spring.
"Star has made a tremendous amount of improvement and done a very, very good job. But I think sometimes when quarterbacks can't see the light at the end of the tunnel in terms of when they might be able to play, they get a little antsy and might want to go someplace else. Star and I have discussed it, and we're going to help him do what he feels is going to make him and his family the best decision for his future."
Jackson's high school coach seems to think his former player will wind up at Georgia State, as multiple reports have stated.

Rebel receiver close to having suspension lifted

Monday afternoon, Nutt told the Jackson Clarion-Ledger that Patterson could rejoin the team at some point in the next two weeks, provided "he does everything he's supposed to do."
Last season, Patterson accounted for 12 receptions, 180 yards and a touchdown while also landing a one-game suspension for the same "thing" that got him suspended this spring, the ubiquitous "unspecified violation of team rules".
Like Patterson, defensive back Tig Barksdale was suspended for most of spring practice. Unlike Patterson, apparently, Barksdale isn't progressing as well as his teammate as Nutt told the Clarion-Ledger that the DB has "a long way to go" before he would be allowed to rejoin the team. Looking at his checkered past in Oxford; a DUI last summer, then leaving school under mysterious medical circumstances, the paper writes that his return should be considered a longshot.